The San Francisco 49ers need to upgrade at wide receiver this offseason. An easy argument could be made that multiple upgrades are necessary. We’ll end up talking through potential draft picks, but with free agency around the corner, let’s start with some pending unrestricted free agents.
One free agent the 49ers must decide on is Skyy Moore. In December, Kyle Shanahan made it no secret that he was a fan of Moore:
“I think that he is a real good player. This guy’s been a talented player for a while, and he has been able to stay healthy, and he keeps getting opportunities because of how good he is and because he works at it.”
Shanahan went as far as saying Moore had a unique trait by simply not hesitating on kickoff returns.
Expectations heading into 2025 for Skyy Moore
The 49ers traded a Day 3 pick for Moore at the end of August. The move came after the news that Brandon Aiyuk was still on the PUP, Jauan Jennings had a calf injury, Jacob Cowing was dealing with a hamstring injury, and Jordan Watkins had a high-ankle sprain. Oh, and Demarcus Robinson was set to be suspended for the first three games of the season.
The expectations for Moore were minimal, and the hope was that he’d be able to give the Niners a body while the injured wideouts recovered. Once Robinson’s suspension was up, the only player to return was Jennings. The door was open for Moore to contribute offensively, but he never found his footing.
Moore ended up winning the kick and punt return jobs. He had an 18-yard punt return in Week 1, giving the Niners a preview of his potential production.
Actual role in 2025
Moore ended up being targeted seven times during the season. He only ran 67 routes. In a season where the 49ers desperately needed a playmaker, the fact that Moore couldn’t crack the lineup spoke volumes to his ability as a wide receiver, or at least how the coaching staff felt about his skill set in that department.
It’s difficult to use Moore in the condensed wide receiver splits that the 49ers like to run because of his size. Those players are asked to block linebackers, and that’s not something you want Moore doing.
Moore finished sixth in the NFL in punt return average and 11th in kickoff return average. A 98 and 66-yarder certainly helped. There was a stretch during the season where it was a surprise if Moore didn’t have a big return.
Outlook for 2026
Moore is an unrestricted free agent
Pros of re-signing Skyy Moore
Moore was the best returner the 49ers have had since Ted Ginn. He had several returns that flipped the field and set the offense up with field position where a score was inevitable. The 98-yard kickoff return against Arizona had to feel like a gut punch to the Cardinals. A week prior, a 27-yard punt return against the Rams is exactly the type of play you need from your special teams to go score-for-score with a team like that.
Moore would be a cheap re-sign and gives the 49ers a quality returner, something they are not used to having.
Cons of re-signing Skyy Moore
Using a roster spot on a player who doesn’t bring anything to the table offensively is a hard sell.
Those returns happened in Weeks 10 and 11. After that, there was one return that stood out during the final month and a half of the season. Moore muffed a punt in the playoffs. Can the 49ers count on Moore replicating the success he had in 2025 when there aren’t any other examples of that happening during his years with the Chiefs?
Moore suffered a hamstring injury in July 2025. He missed 14 games in 2024 due to a core-muscle injury. He missed seven games in 2023 because of a knee injury. That history would scare me off.
What ends up happening with Skyy Moore?
The mutual interest should be there. Spotrac projects Moore’s contract to be $1.8 million. I think the 49ers will re-sign Moore as their returner after years of subpar special teams play.
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